Promise
by jailynn
Summary: AU- Ashlee comes back to Springfield after being gone for six years. She has a secret, one that will shock Coop. Rated M for later chapters


**Title:** Promise

**Prologue:** _When One Door Closes_

**Author:** Jailynn

**Timeline:** Future

**Type:** Alternate reality

**Disclaimer:** There are all mine. I collected them on the cruise ship. They were more than happy to come with me because they know I love them and will write for them… not necessarily well, but I'll write. *laughing* Keeping them hidden has been a little difficult. Those darn evil writers are determined to keep Cooplee from their fans. *shakes head* meanies!

Of course you all know that all of that is false. *grin* I don't own them and I never will. *sigh*

**Rating:** G right now (but I like smut. Jana, you are a bad influence on me. *laughing*)

**Couple/ Show:** Coop and Ashlee... eventually, maybe *evil grin*/ **right now just Ashlee**/ Guiding Light

**Feedback:** Please and thank you. You are the ones that decide if I continue this. Like it, tell me. Hate it, um, tell me nicely please. If I get enough people that tell me to continue I will.

**Author's note:** Um, I have no idea where this came from. It struck me this afternoon and I had to write it. Please forgive all stupid mistakes. I always make them and can never catch them before I post *laughing* and I do try.

**Summary:** Ashlee's life begins to get interesting when she makes a decision to end something…

**Word Count**: 586

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_**Promise: Prologue - When One Door Closes…**_

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_Promise._

A single word meaning: A declaration assuring that one will or will not do something; a vow.

Ashlee stared at the paper in front of her and felt the sadness swell like a tide in her chest. His promise, his vow meant nothing as it turned out, but then again hers wasn't that great either. She couldn't blame just him. She tucked her long blonde hair behind her ears and picked up her pen. The red arrow pointed at the spot where her signature was supposed to go. She clicked the pen and pressed the tip to the page.

A tear gathered in her eyes. Ashlee couldn't figure out why she was so upset. This is what she wanted. This is what needed to happen. Divorce was the only answer. Their relationship was nothing but a sham anyway. All they shared was a name. This was right. Now she could move on. This chapter was closed. The end- done- finished- over.

She sighed and looked up into the gray eyes of her lawyer and friend. A broken smile pulled at her lips. "This is it?"

Sandra Mullins nodded, folding her hands on her spotless glass desk. "All you have to do is sign." Her perceptive friend tilted her head. "This isn't a failure you know?"

Ashlee laughed bitterly, "Isn't it?" The pen dropped from her numb fingers and she got up from her chair. "I mean, we couldn't make it work. Doesn't that constitute a failure?"

"No, it doesn't," Sandy leaned back in her high back office chair. "People change and not always together. You and he grew apart and that is natural."

Ashlee was already shaking her head before Sandy could finish her sentence. "We didn't grow apart. In fact we didn't grow at all." She paced the length of her friend's office. "If I'm going to be completely honest, and you know at this point why shouldn't I? I would admit I should never have married him. God, Sand, I never loved him the way I should have."

"Ash…" Ashlee turned and stared at Sandy. Her friend's sad eyes told her that she knew what Ashlee was talking about. "Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" Her friend just sighed. There was nothing to say, nothing could change the past. Nothing could undo the last five years and nothing could make her heart stop hurting. She walked back over to Sandy's desk and picked up the pen. She signed her name quickly. There the deed was done.

"What are you going to do now?" Sandy asked picking up the divorce papers and sliding them into a folder.

Ashlee picked up her purse and pulled the strap up her arm. She really thought about the question and how to answer it. Licking her lips, she nodded softly to herself. "I'm going to go home."

She smiled quickly to her friend and walked over to the door. She felt better with each step she took toward the door. This chapter of her life was completed. Mrs. Ashlee Turner was no longer. She was free and now she was going to follow her heart. Follow it right back to where she lost it. She was going back to Springfield.

Her soul, the part of her she thought only a moment before was too broken to feel anything but pain, filled with hope in her chest. She had no idea what would happen next, but at least she wouldn't run into him… She could start fresh. Ashlee sighed deeply.

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End of prologue


End file.
